"Distant Worlds: music from FINAL FANTASY"
Performed by The Chicagoland Pops Orchestra and the
Elmhurst College Concert Choir
Conducted by Arnie Roth
Rosemont Theatre
December 12, 2009
8:00p.m.
Guest Artist: Nobuo Uematsu and the Chicago Mages
Guest Vocalist: Susan Calloway

The "Distant Worlds: music from FINAL FANTASY" concert on December 12, 2009 at 8 p.m. at The Rosemont Theatre, will feature never before heard new works by the Japanese video game composer Nobuo Uematsu from the not yet released FINAL FANTASY XIV game. The premiere of the newly written Final Fantasy XIV music, performed by the Chicagoland Pops Orchestra, will pre-date the release of the video game and will give fans an exclusive opportunity to be the first to hear the music live and in concert. "We've never done anything like this before as we typically perform music after the release of each particular video game. The fans attending the Chicago concert will be the first to hear the music performed by over 100 performers, including a live orchestra and chorus, before hearing it on their computers when they play the game! This video game music sneak peak is an exciting new prospect that Square Enix Co.,Ltd.(Square Enix) has allowed us to present and should be a thrilling premiere for the fans and performers," said Arnie Roth, Music Director and Executive Producer, "Distant Worlds: music from FINAL FANTASY."

For more info about the game and to view a trailer for Final Fantasy XIV go to finalfantasyxiv.com

The 2.5-hour program produced by Nobuo Uematsu, Arnie Roth and AWR Music Productions, will be conducted by Grammy Award-winning Arnie Roth, Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Chicagoland Pops Orchestra. The exhilarating gala concert will feature a special guest performance by the composer Nobuo Uematsu, performing Advent: One Winged Angel live on stage with the premiere of the rock band The Chicago Mages. Recording artist Susan Calloway will join Distant Worlds as a featured soloist on new FINAL FANTASY pieces and the Elmhurst College Concert Choir will perform with the orchestra throughout the evening. The award-winning music from Square Enix's world-renowned FINAL FANTASY video game series and the state of the art videos and art stills shown on massive screens will highlight the games most memorable sequences.

"Our fans are eager to hear new works from the vast FINAL FANTASY catalogue of music scores that we haven't yet done on the tour, and we are performing a great selection of the concert tour favorites as well. Our gala concert that night will include a terrific balance of new material and fan favorites," Arnie Roth explained. The program highlights include the world premieres of J-E-N-O-V-A and Dancing Mad, new arrangements of Uematsu's music by Arnie Roth in collaboration with Nobuo Uematsu and these Chicago premieres: FINAL FANTASY VII Main Theme, The Man with the Machine Gun, Suteki da ne, Melodies of Life, Kiss Me Goodbye, FINAL FANTASY SERIES: Prelude, Victory Theme, and a great collection of favorites from the 2009 "Distant Worlds: music from FINAL FANTASY" tour!

I'm going to this and get to see Nobuo Uematsu conducting One-Winged Angel live!
Along of course with many other great inclusions! I can't wait any longer!!

You are one lucky s*d now I can tell you that. I've been dying to go to one of these concerts for ages. Both me and my mother are obsessed with this music. Unfortunately, there seem to be no concerts in Europe!

Dude, you're lucky Nobuo is amazing. One winged angel, matoya's cave, maybe I'm a lion, to zanarkand- all compositions i've been hooked on playing FF I especially love maybe i'm a lion, but not the orchestric version. Rather the Black Mages (Nob's band xD) version sweet shreddy solo I might actually come. Denmark is and Sweden are neighboors

I play JENOVA and Those Who Fight on the piano, it's such beautiful music! I'd really love to go to a concert, but when and where could it be? I know for a fact that he'd never come to Greece, but maybe England?

Though I never beat the game, I love the "Cosmo Canyon" (or something like that) track from Final Fantasy 7. My favorite track in the game. I once found a really nice piano rendition of it. I'd actually love to learn a fingerstyle arrangement on guitar for that.

Current LD goal(s): To expand the world of Silverwind City in my lucid dreams!